The single plans also has an extended written text about the illusion and the plans are much clearer. Buying the Black book is a good thing, as well as all of his Illusion series.

There is so much more to illusion then just building them. Consider storing them, transporting them, the assistants measurements, are just a few examples of what to do with illusions. I think it was Mark wilson who said I paid for the illusion several times just in storage fees. If I sold it after I was done, think of all the money I would have saved, or something like that!

As for building a guillotine: The Haunted Illusion book is better because there are so many other good illusions in it.

Personally, I don't like home made guillotines, especially the French kind. one slip and it is really off with the head. I could write a booklet on this! I have the Richbark Simplex Head Chopper:
http://www.richbark.com/m_illusions.html

Dennis Michael

Killed_CZRegular user
Czech republic, Prague
173 Posts

Posted: Mar 30, 2007 07:42 am

0

Thanks to makeupguy and Dennis Michael

I am looking to build the "EasyBuildGuillotine" because of what was said.

I received the Classic illusions vol. 2 where there are most of the guillotines and it is great source to choose and build

Dennis MichaelInner circle
Southern, NJ
6018 Posts

Posted: Apr 1, 2007 04:32 am

0

Obviously, on Page 1, I have updated all the key postings for a huge list of Illsuion Plans. Most focus on Osborne's work.

Getting into an illsuion show is an expensive business and one must be committed.

Dennis Michael

Dennis MichaelInner circle
Southern, NJ
6018 Posts

Posted: Apr 18, 2007 07:24 am

0

Osborne's New 2007 Step Right up Book. Many of which are in his Haunted Illusion Book
The List on the first page has been up dated.

Osborne, Paul: Step Right Book Copyright 2007
Osborne, Paul: Alligator Woman: Step Right Up Book
Osborne, Paul: Blade Box: Step Right Up Book & Haunted Illusions
Osborne, Paul: Cardiff Giant: Step Right Up Book
Osborne, Paul: Electric Chair: Step Right Up Book
Osborne, Paul: Girl to Gorilla: Step Right Up Book & Haunted Illusions
Osborne, Paul: Girl in Fishbowl: Step Right Up Book & Haunted Illusions
Osborne, Paul: Headless Lady: Step Right Up Book & Haunted Illusions
Osborne, Paul: Head on Sword: Step Right Up Book & Haunted Illusions
Osborne, Paul: Head Cremation: Step Right Up Book
Osborne, Paul: Living Half Girl: Step Right Up Book & Haunted Illusions
Osborne, Paul: Mabel Illusion: Step Right Up Book & Evolution
Osborne, Paul: Man with Three Legs: Step Right Up Book
Osborne, Paul: Monster Guillotine Step Right Up Book & Classics of Illusions
Osborne, Paul: Seeing Through a Woman: Step Right Up Book
Osborne, Paul: Spidora: Step Right Up Book & Haunted Illusions

The following is the table of Contents in the Illusion Book:
The Complete Book of Asrah by Dr. Scandia from Steven's Magic.

INTRODUCTION 1

NOTES and SUGGESTIONS 2 - 4

FORMS 5 -19

Traditional Form

Complete Collapsible Form

Table Collapsible Form

Impromptu Form

Easy Constructed Form

Pillowcase Form

Suitcase Form

The Scissor Collapsible Form

Disposable Form

TABLES 20 - 46

Traditional Table

Take Apart Table

Take Apart Table II

The Velcro Table

Magic Table ASRAH

Backdrop ASRAH

The Board Table

COVERS & BACK DROPS 47- 49

Pillowcase Cover

Backdrops

RIGGING 50 - 60

ASRAH Rigging

The Gizmo Gimmick

One Hand One Man Gizmo

Pole Rigging

Strange

PERFORMING 61- 62

Music

Lighting

The Normal Presentation

Dennis Michael

Ryan:RupleNew user
Mandeville, LA
39 Posts

Posted: May 6, 2007 06:20 pm

0

Would you consider The Seven Secrets of Illusion Design a very good starting book? I have purchased some individual plans (Andrew Mayne), but there are several in this book that I desire strongly.
So is this a great place to go?

--Ryan

Dennis MichaelInner circle
Southern, NJ
6018 Posts

Posted: May 7, 2007 03:50 pm

0

"The Seven Secrets of Illusion Design", is to Illusions, like Friztkee's "Showmanship for Magicians" is to presentation or his "The Trick Brain" is to creativity.

It is a book to understand the mysteries of the "big box" tricks. If you are looking for details plans there are none. If you want to be able to understand how most (some say all) illusions work, then this book helps you by categorizing them into 7 areas. It's worthy of an illusionist bookshelf.

I found it intriguing, interesting reading and because I love illusions, I was not disappointed in it.

If you want to build an illusion, then buy the plan for that illusion. "The Complete Book of Asrah" is different. Even though I own the book, I still bought Osborne's "New Asrah" Plans. In this case the book gave really in-depth study of one illusion, its forms, its methods, and its presentations as well as drawings to build one. The drawings were not as detailed as the plans, but the book explains much more than what comes with the plans. Both together it completes the understanding, of that single plan as well as how to present it.

You won't get that process with, "The Seven Secrets of Illusion Design" just an understanding of how illusions fit into these seven categories and their basic secrets.

Dennis Michael

antonio2030Regular user
112 Posts

Posted: Jun 9, 2007 07:35 am

0

Mmmmmm it seems like those books would be a good buy, I'm going for it!

blackartmanNew user
54 Posts

Posted: Jun 27, 2007 07:04 am

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How the heck am I supposed to read the plans in Classic Illusions by Paul Osborne? It's really small and somewhat sloppy?

sergElite user
Ukraine
427 Posts

Posted: Jul 25, 2007 07:02 pm

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Hello! Anybody know the web or e-mail of Roy Shank and Bill Shedoudy from creative magic design? Thanks for the help!

charrisNew user
17 Posts

Posted: Jul 26, 2007 11:06 pm

0

I am considering purchasing Osborne's plans for the shadow box. However, I'm just curious if anyone here knows approximately how much it would cost to build it?

Thanks,
Craig

kenb123New user
Orange County, CA
66 Posts

Posted: Aug 20, 2007 05:41 pm

0

I bought one of the Osbourne books because I wanted to build a new Zig Zag and I couldn't find my Harbin Book.

If you already know what you are doing, and can kind of engineer as you go along then the plans in the book are ok.

If you are new to this then definitely buy the individual plans. The books are shrunk down and therefore not to scale. In the case of the Zig Zag there were several key dimensions that I was looking for that the plan in the book didn't provide. On a scale plan I could have just used a scale rule to come up with the dimension. But since these were shrunk down I couldn't do that.

Also get used to Paul's way of dimensions. On the Zig Zag there was a dimension that looked like 17" - because the books are poor copies of the plans - things get a little blurry. Luckily I worked everything out before making my cuts because the 17" really turned out to be 1'7" ( 1 foot seven inches).

But the man is a genius and you can find great inspiration from the books, once ready to build - if you aren't really sure what you are doing - buy the plan also.

Kris 62New user
colorado
10 Posts

Posted: Sep 11, 2007 11:24 pm

0

Holy Guacamole!!!
I had no idea that there was so much information out there. My head hurts just looking at the titles. Thank you for all this info. I have ALOT of research ahead of me. And Thank you Mrs. Morningstar for sending me here.

Wonder is very necessary in life. When we're little kids, we're filled with wonder for the world - it's fascinating and miraculous. A lot of people lose that. They become cynical and jaded, especially in modern day society. Magic renews that wonder.
Doug Henning

Wow! I know it's been said a dozen times if not more, but I feel like it needs said again.

Way to go Dennis! You're the man!

We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams.

makeupguyInner circle
1387 Posts

Posted: Oct 11, 2007 09:03 pm

0

I'm not sure when it happened.. but some time ago I made an off-hand comment that Paul Osborne wasn't a carpenter/illusion builder.

I didn't mean that he had NEVER built illusions.. He's actually a skilled carpenter, 2nd generation, with a full shop and warehouse....

What I meant was that he often mentioned that he "had a guy" who did, or helped, him with much of the building that came out of his warehouse. That in no way was meant to imply that "his guy" was the one actually doing all the work.

It would be IMPOSSIBLE for someone with no carpentry skills to have drawn the incredible number of illusions he's drawn.. specifically the original illusions that I grew up with in the 1980's published in Genii.

I worked for Paul for a few years in amusement parks.. and I've never since met anyone so full of wisdom and helpful hints in regard to illuions and performing.

Killed_CZRegular user
Czech republic, Prague
173 Posts

Posted: Oct 27, 2007 10:01 am

0

Hi everybody,

if anyone can help me, I can not find anywhere, even not on Paul Osbournes website, that book :